The chalet 'Etoile de Neige' is situated in Les Masses, a quiet village located in the 4 Valleys ("Les 4 Vallees"), Canton Valais, Switzerland, at an altitude of 1,640m (see map). The 4 Valleys stretch from Les Masses in the East to Verbier to the West, which is the most populated of the 9 interconnected ski stations, including Nendaz, Siviez, Veysonnaz, Thyon, Les Collons and Les Masses.

With 412km of piste slopes, les 4 Vallees is the largest ski domain in Switzerland. This, together with endless off-piste options has given the 4 Vallees the reputation of being one of the most diverse and challenging ski regions in Europe, if not the world (see ski map).

With much of the region over 2,500m, the 4 Vallées has one of the best snow records in the Alps and the highest point in the region is Mont-Fort at 3,330m.

Verbier is certainly the most glamorous and buzzing of the 4 Valley resorts. However, we chose the quiet chalet village Les Masses as location for l'Etoile de Neige as we were searching of fewer queues and less populated pistes with direct access to the same (off-) piste and backcountry runs.

The 4 Valleys are often regarded as a pure ski resort. However, the beauty and diversity of the Swiss Alps in the non-winter months can be even more breathtaking, with wild flowers and grasses throughout spring and summer and strong autumnal colours as the trees begin to turn.

The climate in the summer is akin to the "Mediterranean" with on average over 300 days of sun a year and average temperatures of 25-35°C from June until September. Yet the atmosphere is never humid and the evenings are cooler thanks to the alpine breeze at higher altitudes.

The summer offers a vast number of activities, such as hiking, mountain biking, tennis, golf, swimming, sight seeing and wine tasting. Whilst if you prefer a quieter day and decide to stay at the chalet, you will find plenty of outdoor space in which to sunbathe, relax and unwind.